This is Arbor Week in most of Alabama.

Arbor Day is coming up this Saturday and there will be celebrations across Shelby County.

One of my favorite Arbor Day festivals is the one in Orr Park in Montevallo.

There will be tree seedling giveaways and lots of demonstrations on how to care for your trees.

Last week, I spoke with Dr. Ken Tilt of Auburn University.

He and I discussed some of his findings in China and New Zealand, and the subject quickly changed to trees that will work in our landscapes here in Shelby County.

One of those is the Chinese pistache (Pistacia chinensis).

According to Dr. Tilt, &8220;The reason you buy this tree is for its extreme toughness in a wide range of soils and its screaming reddish orange to yellow fall color.

&8220;You would like to treat all your trees with kindness and provide a good root zone environment for them, but that is not always possible. Chinese pistache will tolerate compacted dry soils after establishment and continue to flourish.&8221;

The Chinese pistache will grow to about 30 feet tall and about the same in girth and is one you should definitely consider for your landscape.

Plant a tree for yourself and for your community.

Share this activity with your children.

Let them help you plant the trees.

Then for years to come even after they leave the nest, they can ride by that tree and tell their children, &8220;That&8217;s my tree!&8221;

For more on these and other gardening tips listen to Home Grown Tomatoes every Saturday morning from 6-8 a.m. on 101.1 FM or log on to www.HGTradio.net.

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